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Re: [LUG] Comments?



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Neil Williams wrote:
>
> The key to understanding Linux is the community. Linux is Open Source
- - the

Open Source with capitals is probably more specific than needed, just "open"

> code that generates the operating system is freely available for
anyone to
> look at as long as improvements are fed back into the community not
locked
> away under a commercial licence.

The FSF would call them "proprietary licences", they distinguish
"commercial" as in makes money from, "proprietary" is OWNED by someone else.

The distinction seems subtle till you realise the FSF sells free
software, where as Microsoft make money by "licensing" their software.

> A distribution that can be freely copied onto more CD's for your friends
> without legal threats.

Not all Linux distributions are "free software", last I looked Debian is
"pure", and Redhat only claim ownership of the Redhat logos. Others
might take a dim view of rampant copying of their CD's.

> An operating system with the security heritage of Unix.

I'd keep quiet on that front, suffice to say many components of Linux
are more secure than their Unix counterparts.

> Software that is developed to meet the needs of the users, not
shareholders.

Shareholders can use and benefit from free software as well, besides
these days we are all shareholder - no?

"By users for users" maybe.

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